Friday, March 1, 2013

Lena Lunsford Update

Lena Lunsford has been released from jail.

The mother of missing 3-year-old Aliayah Lunsford, will not be back with her children as the State Supreme Court unanimously decided to back a Lewis County judge who decided not to allow Lunsford to regain her parental rights of her other six children.

She has filed for divorce from her husband, Ralph. Her mother died while she was incarcerated.

Her daughter Aliayah was reported missing in September of 2011. Lunsford was serving an eight month sentence for welfare fraud.

Ex-Dictator 'Baby Doc': I Have Positive RecordIn court, Jean-Claude Duvalier mumbles answers to a clerk sat at his side, who writes them down and reads the responses aloud.10:49am UK, Friday 01 March 2013 Jean-Claude Duvalier wipes away sweat during his court appearance

EmailFormer Haitian dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier has angrily defended his time as president of the Caribbean country as he appeared in court for the first time after shunning three previous summonses.

At the hearing in the capital Port-au-Prince, he answered questions over whether he should be charged with human rights abuses during his brutal regime between 1971 and 1986.

Former opposition figures have accused Duvalier, 61, of deploying the feared Tonton Macoute militia and of complicity in murder, torture and kidnapping.

Duvalier, who came to power aged 19, ruled with an iron fist until being ousted in a popular revolt. He then fled into exile in France, returning just two years ago, when he tried to turn the tables on today's Haitian leaders.

The issue at stake at the hearing was whether the statue of limitations on the alleged human rights abuses has expired.

Instead of speaking to the court, the gaunt-looking Duvalier mumbled his responses to a clerk who sat at his side and recorded them in a ledger book. Then the clerk read the answers aloud in French to three judges.

Supporters of Duvalier pictured outside court"I have a positive record and this is in all areas," said Duvalier, who succeeded his late autocratic father Francois "Papa Doc".

He said that when he was president, Haitians were indeed impoverished but things more or less limped along "and Haitians sent their children to school".

"I cannot say life was great but people lived decently," he added.

Duvalier, who had been told he would be jailed if he shunned a fourth summons, said he had done his best to give the people of the western hemisphere's poorest country a decent life.

"Upon my return I found a country in ruins and engulfed by corruption," he said. "It is my turn to ask, 'what have you done with my country?'"

Judge Jean-Joseph Lebrun told Duvalier he was accused of ordering illegal arrests, torture and political killings. "How do you answer?" he asked.

Victims of Duvalier's regime pictured in court in FebruaryDuvalier said: "Each time cases were reported, I intervened so that justice was rendered."

Robert Duval, a former football star who spent 17 months locked up in Fort Dimanche, a notorious prison, is among the plaintiffs. During the proceedings, he sat at the edge of his seat and chewed on his nails.

Mr Duval said it was a small triumph that Duvalier was forced to speak before him and others who say they suffered during the dictatorship.

"The whole process has started," Mr Duval said. "We're starting to see his true character."

The court is scheduled to listen to the plaintiffs next Thursday. Duvalier has not been ordered to attend.http://news.sky.com/story/1058617/ex-dictator-baby-doc-i-have-positive-record

It seems a little too late but at least it is something having the children removed from her. However, I fear she will go out and have more. The picture of her looks like she's aged while in jail. And, she has faced enormous loss losing her mother and then all of her children. She looks empty, no soul.

I wonder if there is a chance that as the other children grow up, they might remember what happened to Alliyah that morning. I doubt they know where she is but they may have input as to what happened. I hope she can be found and given a proper burial.

It is so sad to know this whole family is destroyed due to drug abuse. Such a waste.

I can only try to imagine how awful it must feel to be released from prison into such a lonely world: no mom, no kids, no mo' welfare for her. Does she have anywhere to go? Does she have any job skills? She sure isn't going to be hittin' the streets to make any money lookin' like that? IF she really was a drug user before, then her drug of choice could be her only friend now. If there are no programs and she has no friends or relatives in a position to be able to help her, then it might be her only choice to try and get pregnant in order to survive. What kind of world do we live in? I feel so bad for her kids and hope they can all stay in touch if not stay together (unrealistic I know). Someone please slap me, she looks so dejected I almost feel sorry for her, too.

The picture of this poor little abused girl Alliyah's face, deeply bruised and without any twinkle of a smile will always be burned in my mind. She went 'missing' and her waste of space 'parents' could only provide about 3 current pictures and in each if them she was bruised and sullen.

She deserved so much better, just like Caylee, Kyron, Isabel and Hailey. But now she will feel no more pain, no more hunger, no more abuse and indifference to her plight by all who could have made a difference. She will no longer be used as a means to an end...food stamps and government assistance her only value to those meant to cherish her. After all the pain and suffering she felt in her short life, she was tossed away like garbage..like her life had no meaning...and pitifully she will only have strangers to seek justice for her (if anyone at all).

Sweet Julie...you should save your empathy for those that didn't put themselves exactly where they ended up. She chose this ending, her decisions landed her here. Don't feel sorry for her....the kids deserve your empathy, but not Lena.